Pub landlord jailed for paying employee with drugs instead of money

Michael Bennett, 50, has been jailed for 12 months for a string of drug offences, including paying one of his workers with cannabis.

When police found his stash in a medicine cupboard in his pub, Bennett told officers it was for personal use.

However, he later pleaded guilty to supplying the drug between November 2014 and August 2015, and to possession with intent to supply in August.

Bennett’s pub the Miners Arms (Picture: SWNS)

Bennett, who ran the Miners Arms in New Whittington, Derbyshire, has now been sentenced to 12 months.

‘Police were called to an unrelated incident at Bennett’s home and he took officers to a cupboard so he could get medication and they saw 2.9grammes of cannabis which appeared to have been part of a larger amount,’ prosecuting barrister Abi Joyce told Derby Crown Court.

‘Two further large scale bags containing cannabis were found with 5.1grammes and 8.5grammes as remnants from larger amounts and a phone was seized.

‘A further search found 1.2grammes of cannabis in a jar, scales and bags and the Miners Arms was later searched and police found two bags containing 27.4grammes and 26.9grammes of the drug each valued at £200 each.’

Sentencing the father-of-two, Judge Jonathan Bennett (no relation) said: ‘While most of your supplying would be for friends and acquaintances, that was not entirely the extent of your circle and some of this business was done at the pub.’